Protecting rare and endangered species under climate change on the Qinghai Plateau, China

Abstract

Climate change‐induced species range shift may pose severe challenges to species conservation. The Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau is the highest and biggest plateau, and also one of the most sensitive areas to global warming in the world, which provides important shelters for a unique assemblage of species. Here, ecological niche‐based model was employed to project the potential distributions of 59 key rare and endangered species under three climate change scenarios (RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) in Qinghai Province. I assessed the potential impacts of climate change on these key species (habitats, species richness and turnover) and effectiveness of nature reserves (NRs) in protecting these species. The results revealed that that climate change would shrink the geographic ranges of about a third studied species and expand the habitats for two thirds of these species, which would thus alter the conservation value of some local areas and conservation effectiveness of some NRs in Qinghai Province. Some regions require special attention as they are expected to experience significant changes in species turnover, species richness or newly colonized species in the future, including Haidong, Haibei and Haixi junctions, the southwestern Yushu, Qinghai Nuomuhong Provincial NR, Qinghai Qaidam and Haloxylon Forest NR. The Haidong and the eastern part of Haibei, are projected to have high species richness and conservation value in both current and future, but they are currently not protected, and thus require extra protection in the future. The results could provide the first basis on the high latitude region to formulate biodiversity conservation strategies on climate change adaptation.

Climate change jointly with migration ability affect future range shifts of dominant fir species in Southwest China

“…Lancangjiang, Nujiang and Jinshajiang Rivers), most of the mountain ridges are oriented generally in a north–south direction, for example Boxoilaling‐Gaoligong Shan, Taniantawen Shan‐Nu Shan and Mangkang Shan‐YunLing (Royden et al, ). Their pronounced difference in elevation, heterogeneous geography and varied climate result in a high diversity of different vegetation types with high endemic species richness (~3,500 endemic vascular plant species) making the MSWC as one of the most important global hotspots of biodiversity (Li, ; Wu, ). For this study, the MSWC were identified as an area within the geographical coordinates of 20.6°–35.8°N and 85.4°–105.8°E (Figure ).…”

“…Their pronounced difference in elevation, heterogeneous geography and varied climate result in a high diversity of different vegetation types with high endemic species richness (~3,500 endemic vascular plant species) making the MSWC as one of the most important global hotspots of biodiversity (Li, 2018;Wu, 1980). For this study, the MSWC were identified as an area within the geographical coordinates of 20.6°-35.8°N and 85.4°-105.8°E ( Figure 1).…”

Maxent modeling for predicting the spatial distribution of three raptors in the Sanjiangyuan National Park, China

“…In addition, climatic variables play an important role in determining species distribution (Newton, 2003b;Thapa et al, 2018;Virkkala, Luoto, Heikkinen, & Leikola, 2005), and in particular, temperature is an important factor that drives species' distribution (Grinnell, 1917;Guisan & Zimmermann, 2000). A large number of studies have shown that climate change has a great impact on species diversity (Li, 2019;Subba, Sen, Ravikanth, & Nobis, 2018). A large number of studies have shown that climate change has a great impact on species diversity (Li, 2019;Subba, Sen, Ravikanth, & Nobis, 2018).…”

“…Climate-related factors such as temperature and precipitation can affect not only the behavior and physiology of organisms directly, but also indirectly animal food resources by affecting vegetation (Delgado, Morales, Traba, & Garcia De la Morena, 2009). A large number of studies have shown that climate change has a great impact on species diversity (Li, 2019;Subba, Sen, Ravikanth, & Nobis, 2018). Food supply is the most direct factor to determine the survival and reproduction of wildlife (White, 2008).…”

Population genome of the newly discovered Jinchuan yak to understand its adaptive evolution in extreme environments and generation mechanism of the multirib trait

“…The adaptation and diversity of animals to extreme environments are typical materials for studying adaptive evolution (Yang et al 2016). The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), the "global ridge", is one of the hotspots of global biodiversity and has cultivated a group of special species adapted to the plateau environment (Li 2019). The yak (Bos grunniens), the "Boat of the Plateau," is a unique breed of livestock distributed in the high and subalpine areas centered on the QTP and adjacent areas.…”